Cheek Fillers: My Experience Getting Injections (With Before/ After Photos)

* Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and I can only recommend services based on my experience with them. Please consult your doctor before undergoing any procedures. I received cheek fillers in exchange for this post and it may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for your support! *

Why I Got Cheek Filler Injections in My 30s

Turing 30 this year, I was already starting to see flattening and separation in my face. As someone that has fluctuated weight frequently, I knew my face tended to be round. Once I began to age, I felt that my face looked slimmer, even when my body was carrying more weight on it. This was proof to me that the process of facial fat loss had begun, and I was beginning to see flattening cheek bones.

I love my mom dearly. She’s actually the one that introduced me to botox on my glabellar lines when I was twenty-three– right before my wedding. Since she has deep lines/wrinkles (her words!), she wanted to give me a head start on the areas that would deepen for me later on. Sometimes, it feels like Millennials are the first generation to truly benefit from medical aesthetics.

My mom didn’t start aging treatments on her face until later in life, whereas I began preventative skincare routines and treatments in my early twenties! I trust her, and listen to my mom when she says a certain area on her face could have used an earlier regimen. Due to her experience, I have decided to be proactive with my skincare and injections to help my skin and face have the best possible chance to regenerate and look young!

My Experience Getting Cheek Fillers

My injector at Still SLC is amazing and believes in enhancing natural beauty. We did one syringe of Voluma on each cheek for a subtle mid-face lift (two total). This product will last for 2 years, and I can dissolve the filler at anytime.

Before the injections, I was very nervous. I had been sent down a rabbit-hole on TikTok of women that had gotten filler and were unhappy with the results. Many spoke of how the filler transferred, stayed longer than they were told, or had messed up their face. When I went into Dr. Julie, I knew I was interested in Juvederm, but needed to hear an expert’s opinion. She sat with me for a while, listening to my concerns, answering my questions, and providing information on more than I could ask about how fillers work, the feeling, the timeline, and more.

As I sat in the chair of Still Medical Aesthetics, I knew I was in the hands of somebody I could trust. Not only that, but looking at my injector’s face, it wasn’t obvious to me that she had work done, which made it apparent to me that she wanted to focus on enhancing natural beauty.

Leading up to the shots, I was stressed. It is not uncommon for me to faint while getting shots or treatments, despite getting shots for birth control and botox for years. I warned the doctor, and she calmed my fears in a relaxing environment and with her expertise. In the end, the injections hurt slightly more than botox, but only because they take a bit longer and you can hear the liquid faintly. Other than the length of the injection, they didn’t feel any different than receiving Dysport/Botox!

For a few nights after, I had to be very cognizant of my sleeping positions. I slept mostly on my back, which was difficult for a side sleeper. For the first 24 (or so hours) the filler is more malleable, and it is important to not put pressure on the areas that have been injected. On the downside, the spots with new jabs are tender and feel a bit like being punched in the face. On the upside, it means that laying on your side is not ideal or wanted for the first few days while the filler settles into place. All in all, I’d say the experience was uncomfortable, but not painful.

The Results After the Injection Treatment

First, after the treatment, you should expect to have some mild discomfort for a couple of days afterwards. It feels similar to the minor swelling of mosquito bite, and you may still be tender near the injection sites. It is recommended to avoid touching the injection sites, or manipulating by touching, or poking the treated area. It is also recommended to avoid sleeping on your face (if you’re a face-down sleeper). Second, expect to feel and look great as you enjoy a more youthful, natural look.

Within a few days after the treatment, you will notice the injection sites have settled into the shape they will have going forward. The final effect of the filler injections is a brighter, and more vibrant expression, lifted cheeks, and more light being caught by the face.

The results of this treatment may vary from individual to individual. Remember that each human body reacts differently, and there is always a degree of variation with any kind of medical treatment… cheek filler injections are no different.

The Benefits of Getting Cheek Fillers and Injections

If you’re reading this post, you probably already have an idea of some of benefits dermal fillers. If that isn’t you, and you’re still gathering information to help you decide if fillers are right for you, check out this quick list of some of the benefits of receiving cheek filler injections from a licensed professional:

• increased definition of facial structure
• lifted and more open natural expression
• a more cheery, friendly and vibrant look
• lifted and perkier cheeks
• better under-eye highlights (cheekbones catch light better because they have a more defined structure)
• appearing younger younger and more alert

Who should consider getting cheek filler injections?

As I stated above about my experience getting cheek filler in my 30’s, this procedure helps to correct the natural process of your body losing the fat deposits in your cheeks. This part of the aging process begins to have visual signs for most adults in their early 30’s. It is a natural process, but that does not mean it’s a positive for your look, or your body. Getting dermal fillers in your cheeks is of benefit to anyone who is conscious, or anxious, about how their face looks, or has noticed the droop of their cheeks or eyes, as they have gotten older. It can benefit people in their 30’s who are looking to proactively manage aging. Of course, people in their 40’s and 50’s may have more advanced signs of aging than someone in their 30’s. Therefore, they could experience more noticeable improvements to their face’s youthfulness from cheek filler injections.

As you age, your cheeks naturally are pulled down. This can be effected both by the effects of gravity over time, and as your body begins to reallocate your natural fat pads and deposits, that give your cheeks lift and structure, away from your face. Those fat deposits are one of the fundamental elements of a youthful look. Cheek filler injections help to preserve this look, but also help your face to age more gracefully by correcting wrinkles and droop. Think about it this way, the longer a wrinkle is left in an article of clothing or fabric the more it gets set in and tougher to remove. This is also true of your skin. 

The Side Effects of Getting Cheek Fillers

My experience is my own, and I only recommend this treatment to those who are willing to take the time to investigate the risks. Side effects, while rare, are possible results when getting cheek dermal fillers. I provide this information to others to help them make their own choices about how they treat or maintain their physical wellbeing. I encourage everyone looking into this process for themself to consider both the potential risks, benefits, and their physicians recommendations prior to receiving treatment.

With that said, I’d like to point out some of the risks and possible side effects when getting dermal fillers. As my regular readers may know by now, I have severe medical anxiety, and I share that with you to help ease your mind about this procedure. If I can do it, you can do it. When performed in the right conditions, by a trained professional, dermal filler injections are not only perfectly safe and low risk, but can improve your physical wellbeing. 

Most common side-effects and risks of getting dermal fillers in your cheeks:

• Bruising
• Redness
• Swelling
• Pain
• Tenderness
• Itching
• Rash
• Difficulty in performing activities (only observed when injected into the back of the hand)

Rare side-effect: Unintended injection into blood vessels

The most serious risk associated with dermal fillers is accidental injection into a blood vessel.  Filler that enters a blood vessel can cause skin necrosis (death of tissue), stroke, or blindness. While the chances of this happening are low, if it does happen, the resulting complications can be serious and may be permanent. 

I cannot provide every detail of every risk here. If you’re looking for some additional resources to get more information about dermal fillers and filler injections, here are some articles, from reputable sources, that helped put my mind at ease about getting dermal fillers:

• Harvard Health Publishing
• FDA.gov
• AmSpa

Cheek Fillers Cost

If you’re looking for a similar look that I got, you will need about 2 syringes of JUVÉDERM® VOLUMA™. In Downtown SLC, Utah, a syringe costs $900 on average. This means that every 2 years, you will spend $1,800 to keep your cheek looking full and youthful.

That works out to $900 a year, $225 a quarter, or $75 a month. I know many people that spend more than that on their nails per month! During the pandemic, I started doing my nails at home, and eventually began to leave my nails bare. The neutral look was something I fell in love with, and it’s allowed for me to put money into other beauty treatments.

Before and After Photos of Cheek Fillers

Ultimately, I decided to take photos right before, 20 days after the injections, and 12 weeks after getting my first cheek fillers. You can see the difference in my facial structure, and how natural it appears, in the progression photos below.

My Honest Review

If you have a trusted doctor who uses quality product, getting injections is completely safe. Filler doesn’t have to be extreme and can provide a youthful effect. It can even be used for age prevention!

There’s been a lot of stigma related to filler lately, because people are going to inexperienced or untrustworthy injectors that are telling them to come in too frequently or are using subpar product.

If you visit an experienced injector, it makes the process much more satisfactory! A practiced injector won’t initially pressure you to get more filler than you need, and they will also know that filler lasts a while, thus not pressuring your to get injections more often than you need. I have loved my cheek fillers and felt that they added a youthful look back to my face without taking away from my natural beauty.

Where to Get Filler Injections in Salt Lake City, Utah

Finally, if you are from around Salt Lake City, I want to recommend the best place to get filler injections… I’ve been to a lot of different injectors for Botox, and unfortunately have had a variety of experiences.

The bad encounters include being pressured to get more injections than I wanted, and also getting injections that didn’t seem to work as well as it is intended. When I was looking for an injector for Juvederm/filler, I wanted someone I could trust to give the right amount, nothing more, and nothing less. Still Aesthetic Medicine is owned by Dr. Julie Nielsen. She’s been injecting for 15+ years, has taught many to inject through courses with Allergan, and she and finally opened her own practice! She’s located in the Maven District of Downtown Salt Lake City, but has plans to expand soon.

Dr. Nielsen has a balanced approach to aesthetics, and promotes using injections to enhance natural beauty. She is highly skilled, and absolutely loves to share her knowledge with all of her clients. During my visits with her, she takes care to teach me about the products she is using and how they will work with my body and face. She believes in helping women and men feel their best, both physically and mentally. I highly recommend her!

Thank you for reading Lauryncakes. If you have any questions or comments there is space below for you! I read all my comments and try to respond promptly.